(RJELAL) Research Journal of English Language and Literature Vol.4.Issue 3. 2016 A Peer Reviewed (Refereed) International Journal (July-Sept.) http://www.rjelal.com; Email:[email protected] RESEARCH ARTICLE THE PROTESTING LENS: ELEMENTS OF THIRD CINEMA IN ABBAS KIAROSTAMI’S TEN VIDYA S PhD Research Scholar, University of Kerala Thiruvananthapuram ABSTRACT Iranian films have a unique space in the realm of cinema. They are exceptional, simple, innovative and inspirational. Abbas Kiarostami is a prominent figure of Iranian cinema whose films received international acclaim. His extremely minimalist directorial mode, experimental style and unconventional narrative patterns make his films oppositional to the traditional feature films. He is one of the pioneers of Iranian New Wave cinema. Kiarostami’s Ten (2002) is quintessentially an experimental film which has the form of a collection of conversations. This paper intends to analyse the film Ten in the light of third cinema which is originally a Latin American movement presently flourished all over the world. The film focuses on VIDYA S various aspects of Iranian life from different female perspectives. It maintains a protesting tone throughout the narrative and subverts many established social roles. The film has a novel plot structure, peculiar camera set ups and a fresh narrative style. All these features point out its lineage from third cinema. Key words: Third cinema, Abbas Kiarostami, Feminism, Iranian cinema, Minimalism, Documentary ©KY PUBLICATIONS A film maker who has opened up a path for the period 1987 to 1994. His films like Koker Trilogy himself and his followers; that is what is Abbas (1987-1994), Close-Up (1990), Taste of Cherry (1997) Kiarostami in Iranian cinema. He has proved his Wind Will Carry Us (1999), Ten (2002), Five (2003), potential as a film director, screen writer and Shirin (2008), Certified Copy (2010), Like Someone in photographer. Worked in numerous films, he has Love (2012) etc enact serious discussions within the introduced many innovative concepts to Iranian narrative structure. He got numerous awards and cinema. His films are known for their peculiar appreciations for his films including the Palme d’Or narrative style, individualism, metaphysical tone, at the Cannes Film Festival for his film, Taste of visual enchantment and poetic images. The Bread Cherry in 1997. He died due to illness on July 4, and Alley (1970) was the first film by Abbas 2016. Kiarostami. It was a twelve minute film depicting a As one of the prominent figures of post- school boy and a dog. After producing a few more revolutionary Iranian cinema, Kiarostami’s films can films in 1970s such as The Experience (1973), The be taken as the tokens of the development of Traveller (1974) etc he made some short films. His Iranian New Wave during 1970s to 2010s. Non- widely accepted Koker trilogy on the life on the professional artists, minimal dialogue and nominal village of Koker in northern Iran was released during script; these basic traits of Kiarostamian films mark 578 VIDYA S (RJELAL) Research Journal of English Language and Literature Vol.4.Issue 3. 2016 A Peer Reviewed (Refereed) International Journal (July-Sept.) http://www.rjelal.com; Email:[email protected] him as the forerunner of Iranian experimental with his mother’s divorce from his father and her cinema. He cultivated a unique interactive filmic second marriage. When he displays distaste with her style that enables the audience to have a hold on choices she asserts them by saying: “I didn’t get the narration. His films mainly focus on the hitherto married again just to give you another father. He is a tangential subjects such as women and children. good companion for me, a friend” (00.04.02- This paper examines the legacy of third cinema in his 00.04.10, Ten). This expression of boundless film Ten (2002). individuality and self-will displayed by the mother is Third cinema, an artistic and politically pretty strange and revolting in a patriarchal enthused project originated in Latin America in background. But her son does not pay attention to 1960s, still guides and inspires many filmmakers his mother as he fervently defends his father and from Africa, Asia and Europe instigating them to displays contempt and aversion towards her. Amin is squabble against the existing systems of both a victim and an ally of patriarchy. He displays exploitation. A group of Latin American film makers all the restlessness and insecurities of children of initiated the concept of third cinema in 1960s and divorced parents. But his mother, throughout the 70s as a set of militant manifestos and low-budget shot, succeeds to hold her principles tight and her experimental films and documentaries. They determination surmounts the challenges and identified it as a movement emerged against the demands around her. She says: “You’re like your first cinema which consists of the mainstream father. He shut me away, destroyed me. He wanted cinemas with the best example of Hollywood films me only for himself” (00.04.48-00.04.53, Ten). It and the second cinema or the artistically oriented becomes clear that she was bounded with European art cinema. The rubric of third cinema restrictions in her first marriage and now she is encompassed some cogent themes and a transition contended and happy. Her divorce and remarriage is occurred in the motifs of third cinema. Issues such thus liberations from the clutches of patriarchy to as imperialism, globalisation, gender and racial the fulfilment of her urge for autonomy. She further problems surfaced and shift in focus necessitated says: “But don’t call me selfish. Say rather, “I want third cinema to embrace novel thematic horizons. mum for myself” but she belongs to no one, only to Teshome H Gabriel writes, “Another important herself” (00.10.35-00.10.43, Ten). Thus Kiarostami recurring theme in Third Cinema is that of the introduces a fiercely independent woman, who struggle for the emancipation of women.” (18) transcends the limits of patriarchal systems such as Abbas Kiarostami’s Ten, however, proposes radical marriage, family and motherhood in the film. Such changes and approaches in cinema that is capable of an irrepressible free-will is rare and infuriating to undermining and redefining the existing gender Iranian society. Her enthusiasm on the sexual roles. relationships of the prostitute, her convictions on Ten (2002), starring mainly Mania Akbai , marriage and divorce and her apparent feminist consists of 10 conversations, happens within a car perspectives all make her characterisation an during driving around Tehran. It is obviously a attempt of protest against traditional Iranian feminist work. The film focuses on several women patriarchy. characters starting from the protagonist, a nameless The defiance displayed by the prostitute, lady driver, her sister, another woman friend and who has entered the car at night expecting a male three other women passengers including an old customer is also remarkably protesting. As soon as woman, a prostitute and an unmarried young she realizes it is a woman driver she tries to get off woman. but the lady insists her to stay and they start a The first section of the film starts with a conversation. Throughout their talk, the prostitute conversation between a mother and her son, Amin. shows contempt towards love and marriage. She At first only Amin is on the focus of the camera as he speaks about sex openly, showing sacrilege towards sits in the front seat of a car which is driven by his the conventional codes of morality. She redefines mother. It becomes clear that the boy is not happy the constructs of marital love and sex. There is 579 VIDYA S (RJELAL) Research Journal of English Language and Literature Vol.4.Issue 3. 2016 A Peer Reviewed (Refereed) International Journal (July-Sept.) http://www.rjelal.com; Email:[email protected] strong impudence in her words toward existing enforced by external forces. The old woman finds social structures of marriage and family. She displays peace in prayer, the prostitute in her audacious job, her disapproval with marriage by accusing the the young woman shaves her head to triumph over married driver, saying: “You’re the wholesalers and the grief and finally, the dialogue between the we’re the retailers” (Ten. 00.47.07-00.47.11). Her woman driver and her son reveals her decision to insolent comparison of marriage to prostitution admit her son’s views as she also surmounts her since both engage in the same trade of sex feeling of guilt. emasculates the conservative Iranian morality. When Kiarostami transforms a casual car Throughout the episode camera focuses the driver ride into a fascinating movie, the novelty in filmic and the prostitute’s face is not at all shown in the style turns to be another feature of third cinema. film. Possibly, it is a precaution to protect the artist, Similar to the classic third cinema films, such as The who played the role, from the anger of Iranian Hour of Furnaces which are basically documentaries, fundamentalists for her provoking observations Ten also has a documentary form. Nicola Marzano’s about her profession. observation, “…Third Cinema must reinvent itself in Another passenger, who is evidently a close terms of gender, class and geographical identity and acquaintance of the lady driver, laments over her consequently in terms of narrative structure and separation from her husband after seven years of aesthetics” is effectively materialized by Kiarostami marriage. The driver tries to convince her the in Ten, with his minimalist camera set-ups and with importance of finding happiness in loving ourselves the hardly noticeable editing tactics. As part of his by saying: “We women are unhappy. We don’t love attempts to prevent audience from being ourselves.